Australian whistleblower David McBride, who leaked classified documents revealing allegations of Australian war crimes in Afghanistan to the media, lost his appeal to reduce his prison term on Wednesday.
The Australian Capital Territory Court of Appeal rejected McBride's appeal to reduce the severity of a five-year and eight-month prison sentence imposed a year ago.
McBride, who is a former military lawyer, said through his lawyers that Australians would be outraged by the Court of Appeal decision.
His lawyers said that they will challenge the decision in the High Court.
"We believe that only the High Court can properly grapple with the immense public interest and constitutional issues at the heart of this case," the lawyers' statement said.
"It cannot be a crime to expose a crime. It cannot be illegal to tell the truth," the statement added.
Besides appealing for a reduction in his prison sentence, his appeal also focused on arguing that he leaked the documents in line with his duty to act in the public interest.
"It is my own conscience and the people of Australia that I answer to. I have kept my oath to the Australian people," McBride said in the lawyers' statement.
McBride wanted to argue that the duty came from the oath he swore to late Queen Elizabeth II when he joined the military.
Last year, McBride pleaded guilty to three charges, including theft and handing out documents classified as...
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